Friday, December 12, 2003
  Wire Mothers
I'm thinking of wire and cloth mothers right now. Back in college Sociology 101 we learned about two sets of monkeys that were taken from their mothers right after birth. One set of monkeys was given a "wire mother", ie, a wire frame in the shape of a mother monkey with an attached bottle of milk. The other set was given a "cloth mother", a fluffy soft cloth dummy in the shape of a mother monkey and NO milk. What was learned from this? Turns out, the monkeys who clung to the wire mother got plenty of food but soon withered and died for lack of nurturing.

Which brings me to my strange thoughts nowadays. I love my baby nephew. I play with him often and watch him constantly because he is so beautiful. I have never picked him up, however. I am clumsy by nature and my balance stinks, and I am afraid I will drop him. I don't want his parents worried over his safety when he's with me so I have never even suggested holding him. I wonder, though. Will he know me and love me as much in later life if I never pick him up as a baby? These are the silly things that worry me. Bah. :p

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